


The Earth. It Sings.

by crime_lord_amidala



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Am I original?, Angst, Earthbender Lu Ten, Lu Ten lives, M/M, We love, but do i love writing this?, i write fics for my own posts now because apparently, maybe some bending logistics, might be a bit of, no, that's what I do, this is all planned out so get ready for some stuff, to see it, yes - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 05:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26467963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crime_lord_amidala/pseuds/crime_lord_amidala
Summary: Have you ever had something so integral to your being, but you didn't know what it was, but when you realised it, there was no going back?
Relationships: Lu Ten/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 75





	The Earth. It Sings.

**Author's Note:**

> so. three weeks ago on a stormy tuesday i made a really stupid shitpost about lu ten being an earthbender. it blew up. uhhhhhh,,,,,,,, here's the fic ily all.  
> my tumblr is @ikkii, betas include @itszukkatime, @soft-zuko, and @pianjeong

The earth was loud.

Lu Ten had always known this. In his childhood he’d spent hours just listening to it. Sometimes, he’d feel tremors, like waves in the ocean, minutes before they hit. This wasn’t unusual. Many great firebenders could feel earthquakes before they happened.

They just couldn’t feel the waves. The gentle rock of the earth as the waves came and went like the tide.

He’d never produced a flame. He was excellent with the sword. Piandao had described him as a prodigy.

When he shipped out to war, to support his father in the siege, he’d encountered his first earthbender.

He’d heard the stories. They all had. And yet for some reason, when he saw one in action for the first time he felt excitement.

Instead of the fear and apprehensive horror that his tutors had instilled in him at the mention of these apparently savage brutes, he’d felt bubbling excitement.

And then he’d been smacked in the head with a boulder, and put out of commission for a week with the concussion.

Still, he’d been enamoured. Interested. It wasn’t every day you saw the earth move to the will of a man.

It almost reminded him of his mother in the way that they fought. Strong willed and stubborn, always waiting to move at the perfect moment. It prompted him to ask his father about it one evening.

“Your mother?” His face had fallen a little.

Lu Ten almost felt bad for asking. “Yes, I don’t know much about her. Nobody really spoke about her after her death, and I don’t remember much about her.”

He looked pained, pausing before he spoke, “Your mother was a complicated woman. She came from the Yu family, you remember they took over the first Earth Kingdom settlement? Yu Dao?”

He nodded. “I do.”

“She was the first nonbender in a long line of firebenders. We fell in love one summer, and wrote every week until we met once again. She was very traditional, save for one aspect of our marriage. It was she who proposed it. Hua Li. I don’t think I’ll ever love like that again.” The silence after that was deafening.

For him to never love, as he had his mother, again? Lu Ten felt sick with pity just thinking about what that meant.

Lu Ten nodded, “And her lineage? Was it all firebenders? All the way to the establishment of Yu Dao?”

“Yes, why do you ask, my son?” He frowned.

He didn’t know why he was asking. “Nevermind. It’s nothing.”

“It is not nothing. Come. You can speak your mind to me.”

_I think I might be-_. The words died on his tongue. “I was just wondering. About my mother. I realised today that I know almost nothing of her.”

His father smiled, reaching out to place a hand on his. “Of course my son. What do you want to know?”

And they’d spoken for the rest of the afternoon. It was nice, to hear about her, to know she was more than a distant memory in his mind. Yu Hua Li. Lady of Yu Dao and wife of the Dragon of the West.

By the end of the evening, he’d almost forgotten about his questioning mind. The reasoning behind his questions. It didn’t seem as important anymore. It was a problem for later.

Later came after three days. A boulder twice his size had come barrelling towards him and his men. There’d been no time to move out of the way. No time to react. He’d simply thrown his arms out in front of him and willed with all his might that he might live. He'd never expected the boulder to shatter on impact.

He and his men stood there in shock staring at what’d just happened. The opposing forces too.

Then the battle had started again, and the event was forgotten. It was too implausible anyway. A captain of the Fire Nation militia? An Earthbender?

No. It was impossible.

And yet, as he lay in his cot that night, staring at the roof of his tent, he couldn’t help but replay the moment over and over. The exhilarating feeling of the earth shattering at him. Being immovable. Grounded.

Lu Ten slept on the floor that night. He could feel the waves again. The song of the earth, resonating through his very soul.

-=-

“What do we do to Earthbending prisoners?” Lu Ten asked. He’d never actually thought about it, but he was definitely thinking about it now.

He sat staring at his empty bowl of curry, mind racing. Shu, his second in command, sat across from him, still halfway through his meal.

Shu looked at him with a frown. “Labour, usually. They have these rigs out in the middle of the sea, entirely made of metal. Nobody can bend anything out there. It’s the only thing those savages are useful for.”

“Earthbenders?” He frowned. “They could be building cities, couldn’t they?”

He scoffed. “Unlikely. I hear the kids, they lock them in suspended cages, and dip them under the ocean.”

“That’s horrible. They’re children.” Lu Ten found himself feeling sick.

“Earthbending children. They’re scum, they don’t deserve it. Better to kill them now before they go feral and try and stop progress, huh?” Shu said, looking at Lu Ten for an agreement.

He gave it, nodding. He felt sick. He couldn’t be himself. Even if he told his father, he’d be separated from the Earth. He’d heard stories of firebenders separated from the sun, and he dreaded to think what would happen if the same happened to him. He’d more likely be put to death.

More honour in a dead non-bending prince than a living Earthbending one.

Lu Ten curled his fists in his lap, and he decided there and then.

He’d known.

He’d always known.

Lu Ten, prince of the Fire Nation, was going to have to die.

-=-

He had it planned. He was going to be crushed by a boulder. His armour would be indistinguishable from the rubble, and he would be dead. Lu Ten would be dead.

He could enter the walls under the guise of being a refugee. He could take the city from beneath itself, and bring glory to the fire nation, glory to his father. He would never know the shame of having an Earthbender, scum, for a son.

He could win the war. There’d be no glory for him; he didn’t deserve the glory. His father did.

At least. That’s what he told himself.

Today was the day he was gonna die.

Well,

Not die,

But-

Yeah, die.

He hadn’t thought much past getting into the city.

As he donned his armour, he considered taking cash, but the pieces of gold were emblazoned with the crest of the Fire Lord, and would give him away too quickly. He specifically wore his black under-armour, no adornments, no way of identifying him as Fire Nation.

There was one thing he was going to take. His sword.

It was simple. It was his pride and joy. He had designed it with his father in mind. The dragon on the hilt, and the sleek white metal that shone like a flame itself when the light caught it just right. If anyone questioned it, he could say he took it from a dead soldier.

They were to be storming the western gate today. Lu Ten was apprehensive, but he was ready. He was ready to die for his country as a martyr instead of living as an abomination. It was the most honourable thing to do.

He considered writing a note, but this had to look real. He could send word to his father once he’d taken the city. Once glory and victory rained down on the Fire Nation.

Heading out to the morning briefing, he was apprehended by his father.

“Lu Ten! Will you join me for tea this evening? There is something I wish to discuss with you.”

_He knew._

That was it. He was just inviting him to be put to death. To get him comfortable with a cup of tea, and then strike.

“Of course, father. I’ll come and find you.” He nodded. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you tonight.” He smiled.

It was almost painful to smile back.

The briefing was a blur. He tuned everything out after the mention of the lake. Laogai, was it? They’d engage them at the lake, and then he’d die, and it would be over.

They headed out. His platoon would be heading to the North of the Lake, half of a pincer maneuver that would surround the Earth Kingdom troops, and then they’d take the Lake.

As they walked through the great stone walls, he felt in awe of them, looking up at the incredible size. They’d done that. The Fire Nation had done that. As they walked, he looked between his men. He was about to desert them. He’d probably never see them again.

They didn’t make it to the lake. They were ambushed halfway there.

It didn’t change his plans. He cut the strings of his armour halfway through the battle, and he watched as it was crushed beneath a rock with one of his men. It would be unidentifiable, the armour all they had to go on if they were recovering bodies.

He ran. He ran like his life depended on it, because it did. He’d just betrayed his men. Good men. He better make this worth it. He was going to take Ba Sing Se from beneath itself, and he was going to do it for the Fire Nation. For his father.

-=-

Forest gave out into fields, vast, stretching expanses of crops. The Fire Nation would burn this to the ground.

He could think of a thousand ways that was wrong, how they were destroying the land they were trying to conquer, to better, but he couldn’t form the words or thoughts to explain it to even himself properly. He just knew that it was bad, and the more he thought about it, the less he could justify it.

He slept in a ditch that night, stealing okra from a field, washing it in a nearby stream. He had no way of cooking it, but it didn’t taste… terrible raw.

Okay it was terrible, and he wanted to go home to a warm curry and his father’s tea, but he’d committed to this now, and there was no way of going back. His father could avenge the memory of a son who’d fought valiantly and died in battle, not the miserable excuse currently trying to eat raw okra without gagging.

On his second day, he encountered a couple of farmers, but decided not to approach. They watched him from afar, and he tried to stand up as tall as he could, but the exhaustion was getting to him. He stole carrot-tomatoes that night.

On his third day, he was struggling under the sun. He reached a lone tree, and came to sit under it, revelling in the shade. As a citizen of the fire nation, avoiding the sun was shameful, but he didn’t care. He was exhausted, tired, thirsty, hungry, and he wanted to sleep. Sleep. Sleep sounded good.

He drifted off to the heat of the midday sun, the sound of the breeze on the branches above a lullaby in comparison to the monotonous sound of trudging footsteps. The fresh smell of rice fields almost made him feel like he was out in the summer house near fire-fountain city, not far from a farming village he’d used to sneak off to as a child and play on the banks before he was caught and dragged back to the house. _There’s plenty to do here, my son_. His mother had scolded.

Huh. One of the few memories he had of her, and it was triggered by sitting in a field in the Earth Kingdom.

Truly strange.

-=-

He ran through fields of rice and wheat. He couldn’t stop.

He had to catch the tram.

His topknot had fallen out a couple of days back, but he couldn’t find his hair tie. He must’ve looked insane when he reached the tram station, carrying only a sword as he jumped onto a departing tram.

He sat against the closed doors, panting heavily, sweat sticking his hair to his face.

“You look a state.” A voice to his left made him jump, and he looked up at a man in green, crossing his arms as he leaned on the wall casually. “Don’t worry, I won’t report you, but only if you let me look at that awesome sword.”

He stared at the man, unable to form words. His green eyes stared straight into his, like they were reading his soul.

“Uh, sure.” He held it out in front of him. “But no touching.”

He laughed, and snatched it from him, testing its weight and swinging it around a little. “This is awesome! Where’d you get it?”

He snatched it back, securing it to his back again. “I stole it. From a Fire Nation soldier. He was dead, and he wasn’t using it anymore, so-”

“A Fire Nation Soldier? In Ba Sing Se? Why’d they be here?” He laughed, passing it back to him. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those crackheads who think there’s some kind of war going on.”

Wait. What? Ok. Play along Lu Ten. Just play along.

“Oh no, this was in the Fire Nation. When I visited. Once.” He nodded, hoping that if he smiled and nodded he could get to the next station and disappear. “I’m new to the city.”

He nodded, looking him up and down? “You’re new? Ah, well I’ll have to show you around. I’m Hong Xi, what’s your name?”

“Lu- Li.” He corrected himself.

“Lu Li?” He frowned.

“Just Li, I forgot my name for a second. It’s been a long day.”

Hong Xi laughed, and Lu Ten thought it was the most wonderful thing he’d ever heard. Wait. Why was _that_? Never mind. That was a question for later. “Well, Li, do you need a place to stay? My mother’s always looking for extra help around the house, and I’m sure we can spare the room for one night.”

“Sure.” He nodded. “I can do that.”

He grinned, teeth bared as he leaned in. “Great.”

It was suddenly a little hard to breathe, and Lu Ten felt himself heat up in a way that made him think maybe he was a fire bender after all. Nodding slowly, he sat down in the provided seats.

Hong Xi sat with him, leg pressed up against his and a little too close for comfort. “So you’ve travelled? Seen anywhere good?”

“Yeah I’ve been all over the Earth Kingdom. Mainly the West coast.” He nodded. “I worked with my father as a Tea Merchant.”

That fit. He knew enough about tea from his father’s ramblings to be able to bullshit his way through being an expert. “He’s not with me anymore.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Hong Xi placed a hand on his shoulder. “My sister’s husband passed away recently. He was like family to us. Known him since we were kids.”

In a way, it _was_ like his father had died. Lu Ten had died, and therefore so had his connection to his father. “Thanks. Do you have a job?”

“Being a slave,” He deadpanned, then laughed, “I’m joking. I work out in the fields, picking. I’m not paid much, but it’s honest work.”

That sounded so simple. Idyllic even. He had no responsibilities. No prerequisite to bring honour to his house.

Just to exist.

He could pretend to be as simple as this man for a while, yes.

The tram passed through a wall. It was just as, if not even bigger than the one around the outside of the city, and he almost felt at a loss when he saw it. It had taken 600 days to take the outer wall. How long would it take to take this one? How many would fall to this one?

He felt at a loss.

“Why’dya look so glum, mate?” Hong Xi asked, elbowing him gently. “We’re almost home.”

He forced a smile. “Sorry, just thinking about my father. Again.”

“That’s ok. Hey, you’re gonna love me mother’s cooking. She makes the best noodles this side of the Qiwan district.” He grinned. “I hope you’ve got a big appetite.”

Lu Ten nodded. “I could eat.”

The tram pulled into the station, and Lu Ten stepped out to look across the sprawling city. He felt so small compared to this. In the distance he could see another wall, just as large. He wondered how many walls there were, how many 600 days it would take to reach the centre and take the throne.

Taking Ba Sing Se was a fool’s errand. Even he could see that now.

They descended into the city, Lu Ten closely following Hong Xi as they moved through the crowds. He’d never seen this many Earth Kingdom citizens that didn’t look at him with abject fear in their eyes. It felt refreshing, almost.

He let himself pretend he was nobody.

He saw men begging on the streets, women cooing to join them from the first floor of a building, vendors calling at him from their stalls. People bumped into him without a second look, and it felt strange not to have everyone watching him. Expecting things of him.

They walked a really long way. At least 8 kilometres.

“How do you do this every day?” He asked as they climbed a particularly steep set of stairs.

“The pay.” He deadpanned. “Not everyone has horse-ostriches and carts to carry them.”

Lu Ten felt himself go red. “Oh. Right.”

“Aye, don’t sweat it.” He laughed. “Come on. We’re almost there.”

They reached the top step, and Hong Xi turned towards him. “Welcome to my home. Well, me parents, but I live here, so…” He pushed the door open, and they were both hit by the smell of freshly cooked noodles. “Mama! I brought a guest! This is Li.”

A woman, maybe 50, turned around from a stove, her face shining from the heat and grey-streaked hair in slight disarray. “Oh! Welcome! I’m Manaka. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

Lu Ten bowed, palm to fist, and smiled at her. “Thank you for welcoming me into your home.”

He left his sword at the door. He realised now that he had no idea how to be polite in the Earth Kingdom. He only knew how to be terrifying.

She laughed, “And he’s polite! Hong Xi, where do you find them?”

“He’s from the coast, like baba.” He slapped a hand on his shoulder. “And he looks like he could use some food. If you’ll excuse me, I just need to wash up before dinner. You need to clean up too, Li?”

_Like his father._ He’d probably know exactly who he was, or at least have some idea. “Yeah. I should clean up.” He was trying not to freak out.

They headed into a side room, and Hong Xi looked him up and down. “You need a change of clothes. You got anything else?”

He shook his head.

Hong Xi disappeared, and returned with some clothes. “They’re my size but I reckon they’ll fit you.”

Lu Ten went first, scrubbing himself clean of the battle, the road, and the city. He put on the scratchy green clothes, tying them tightly and smoothing it down. He considered tying his hair up into a bun, but opted for tying it to the side, as he knew the bun would make him stick out a league away.

He hung around awkwardly at the side of the room.

Manaka was bustling away at the stove. Lu Ten stepped forward, “Can I help?”

His life as a prince had told him he deserved to be waited on, but his time living in a camp had told him that when jobs were being done, everyone mucked in.

She waved him off. “Oh no. Sit down. Make yourself comfortable.” She smiled, pushing him to sit down next to a boy at the table, who was intently writing out characters by rote. “Ping Wei, entertain our guest.”

He looked up, and his green eyes widened. “Your eyes....” He said.

Lu Ten’s hands flew up to touch them, “Is there something wrong?”

“Are you a firebender?” He asked excitedly.

He shook his head. “No.”

He looked _disappointed._ “Oh. I learnt about firebenders in school. They said that they train with dragons!”

“I think they used to. Not anymore.” He remembered Hong Xi’s comment about the war. “There aren’t enough dragons for firebenders anymore, so they just learn from each other.”

“Oh. Have you ever met a firebender?” He asked.

He nodded slowly. “My father. He made excellent tea.”

He gasped.

It was at that moment that Hong Xi entered the room, drying his hair as he came to sit down next to them. “Didi, teach me a word.”

He lit up, even more than at the mention of firebending, and pointed to the character he’d written last. “This is rain.”

“Ah, you’re so smart! Do you have anymore, sifu didi?” He bowed mockingly.

“Ping Wei, clear up, Hong Xi, go and find Su Ning.” Manaka cut through the conversation.

Hong Xi disappeared, and Lu Ten helped Ping Wei fold away his writing kit. The girl Hong Xi returned with was shorter than him by a hair’s breadth, and she had the same green eyes that Manaka had. She looked at Lu Ten with curiosity.

“Oh. Hey.”

He waved back, and watched as she came to serve, dishing up from the wok full of noodles. “So who are you?”

“Su Ning! Don’t be rude.” Manaka scolded.

Lu Ten shook his head, “Oh it’s fine. I’m Li.” He bowed his head.

“Su Ning.” She bowed her head back, passing him a bowl of noodles.

“Nice to meet you.”

She nodded, and didn’t say anything else. They began eating, leaving a space and a bowl for someone.

The noodles were nice. They weren’t spicy like they were back home. More...fragrant. He liked it. He stopped after one bowl, setting his bowl and chopsticks down on the table. “Thank you for the food, gracious host.”

She looked at him, almost with concern, and grabbed his bowl, filling it again. “No problem.”

He looked down at the full bowl, and picked it up, eating again. This was weird. Usually he asked for more food, but here she was, just spooning it into his bowl with no thought to ask if he wanted anymore.

He nodded, awkwardly, and finished the bowl, not wanting to seem rude. It was strange, how they all ate in complete silence. He didn’t want to break it, fearful of seeming rude.

If this were the fire nation, he’d think they were all being very rude to Manaka. She’d cooked them this meal and hadn’t even returned the favour with good conversation! He didn’t want to complain, for fear of offending them. He was trying to hide in this city, not make an enemy of it.

He managed about ¾ of the second bowl, and placed his chopsticks down. “Thank you.”

She smiled. “No problem.”

He waited silently, terrified of breaking the silence and getting it wrong. Why had his teachers never told him about Earth Kingdom etiquette?

Hong Xi finished after him, and smiled. “You look nervous, what’s up?”

“Oh, nothing. It’s just my first day in the city, and I’ve no idea where I’m going to go. Do you know of any places I could go to sleep?”

Manaka hit Hong Xi on the arm. “How could you not offer him a bed?”

“I didn’t know, Mama!” He protested. “Ye can stay here. It’s no issue.” Turning to Lu Ten, he smiled softly.

Why did he feel so warm all of a sudden? “Thank you so much!” He put palm to fist and bowed his head.

“Come on. We can set up for the night while they finish up.” He said, nudging him to follow him to one of the other rooms.

He passed him a mattress from a side cupboard, sliding it open and dropping it in his arms. Then another. And another. He almost dropped them all when he dropped one on his head.

They piled them up at the side of the room, and Hong Xi passed him a brush. Or more aptly, a glorified tree branch.

Lu Ten assumed that he was meant to sweep with it, but he couldn’t think what he was sweeping. The floor looked clean. At least as clean as the rest of the city was.

He tried sweeping it over the floor, and ended up bringing up more dust than there was before. He was so bad at it Hong Xi snatched it off him. “You’re terrible at this, aren’t you?”

”Well I’ve never swept before.” He retorted, then shut his mouth, clamping a hand over it. “I’m sorry.”

Hong Xi burst out laughing. “No kidding!”

There it was, that warm feeling again.

He did the sweeping, and Lu Ten got the blankets out, unrolling them as Hong Xi finished up.

By the time they finished, the rest of them had finished eating, and Hong Xi collapsed into the middle bed. “I’m spent. You tired?”

“Yes.” He said, coming to sit next to him on the next mattress. “Why have you invited me into your home?”

“Cause it’s the right thing to do.” He shrugged. “You looked lonely, and hungry. I figured you’d need a friend.”

If only he knew who he was.

“What if I was some crazy firebender who was gonna burn down your house in your sleep?” He asked.

“Are ye?” Hong Xi raised his eyebrows in interest.

“No. I’m not even a firebender.” He leant his cheek on his hand, propped up on his knee, watching the other man. “I’m an Earthbender.”

“Well you’ll fit in just fine here. Ba Sing Se has lots of Earthbenders.”

“I found out a month ago.” He confessed. “I don’t even have the basics.”

“You’ll pick it up. I know plenty of Earthbenders that can teach you.” He waved his hand nonchalantly. “You wanna sleep now or do you wanna keep talking?”

“I’d like to sleep, please.” He nodded. “Long day.”

He smiled, and stood up from his position lying down on the floor in one movement, poking his head out the door. “Mama! We’re going to sleep now. Do you want me to put on the rice in the morning for you?”

“Yes.” He heard her say.

“Ok Mama. Goodnight.” He slid the door shut, and dived onto his mattress with a soft thud. “Goodnight, Li. It was nice meeting you.”

“It was nice meeting you too.” He whispered, staring at the ceiling.

He’d said it so casually. Just. _I’m an Earthbender._ Like he was saying what colour his eyes were. It felt natural, it felt right. He was an Earthbender, and now he’d told one person, this strange man from the tram, he wanted to tell the world. Cause it felt _right._

The stone floor of the apartment swayed, exactly like he’d felt for years. Before he’d felt like he was lost at sea whenever he’d felt it, but now it was strange. He could feel the rumbling of earthbending around him, not just the familiar calm of the Earth.

He felt homesick.

Homesick for his father. Homesick for Caldera. For his cousins. For a simpler time when he wasn’t an Earthbender. When he was just a non-bender.

He wouldn’t have made a very good Fire Lord anyway. Fire Lords needed to be able to firebend. There was no way he was getting around that.

Unless he was the avatar. But then he’d probably have bent fire by now.

That was ridiculous anyway.


End file.
